Method for producing a clockwork dial provided with projecting symbols



Sept. 21, 1965 A. VOGT 3,206,841

METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLOCKWORK DIAL PROVIDED WITH PROJECTING SYMBOLSFiled July 3. 1961 AMV'I'IH 7A FIG. 2 I

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FIG. 4

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United States Patent 3,206,841 METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CLOCKWORK DIALPROVIDED WITH PROJECTING SYMBOLS Andr Vogt, 63 Rue Jacob Brandt, LaChaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Filed July 3, 1961, Ser. No. 121,503 Claimspriority, application Switzerland, July 4, 1960, 7,615/ 60 2 Claims.(Cl. 29-177) Various methods for producing clockwise dials provided withprojecting symbols are already known, according to which the dial plateand the symbols are obtained through electrodeposition means startingfrom a mold of insulating material, the surfaces of which are madeconductive through metallization. The metallized layer may be removed atthe end of the operation, or else, it may be retained for giving a colorto the dial or to the symbols.

There are obtained thus dial plates of an electrolytic material, thegrade of which is however lower than that of stamped plates.Furthermore, it is not possible to provide signs or symbols made ofsolid gold without this leading to the production of dials also made ofgold, or else, without resorting to an amount of gold which is muchlarger than that actually required for the forma tion of gold symbolsalone.

My improved method allows executing clockwork dials which do not showsuch drawbacks.

According to my invention, the dial plate and the time symbols orindicia are made independently and a fraction at least of said symbolsis coated with a protecting layer, so as to secure the symbols over thedial, said projecting layer being removed after this securing of thesymbols or indicia to the dial.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of my invention,showing how this method may be executed.

FIGS. 1 to 9 of said drawing illustrate diagrammatically the mainsuccessive stages of said method.

According to said method, I begin by producing a mold of plasticmaterial (FIG. 1), of which the upper surface is provided withimpressions for the formation of the symbols which it is desired to layon a dial.

The mold or matrix carries a conductive member 2 embedded inside it andforming the bottom of said impressions, said conductive member beingconstituted, for instance, by an old dial. The impressions are obtainedby means of a further member 3 inserted, for instance, inside theapparatus into which the plastic material forming the mold is to beinjected.

The surface of the mold (FIG. 2) is first coated with a thin layer ofconductive material 4, say a copper layer, obtained throughmetallization or deposition in a vacuum and which has for its result anelectric interconnection between the impressions and the conductivemember 2.

By means of a slight operation on a milling machine, for instance, thislayer is removed from the upper surface of the mold so as to allow onlythat section of the layer which lines the impressions to remain inposition. The mold is then dipped into an electrolytic bath, so as toform the symbols by a filling of the impressions, for instance by meansof gold (FIG. 3). The latter is deposited only inside the recesses,since only these are then conductive.

This being done, the upper surface of the symbols is finished off by asurfacing by means of a diamond or by polishing (FIG. 4), after whichthe finished symbols are protected by means of a copper layer 6, forinstance, which is obtained electrolytically (FIG. 5).

3,206,841 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 Said protecting layer has a thicknessof, say A of a mm., which ensures a proper protection of said symbols.

Known means, for instance a welding through a resistance, or a weldingby means of supersonic waves, soldering, gluing or the like, are thenresorted to for securing over the protecting layer 6 a support 7 whichmay be constituted, for instance, by a metal ring or plate.

The mold 1 is finally removed by melting or by chemical reagents whichdissolve it, for instance, and thenafter, the conductive member 2 isremoved by attacking, for instance, the metalized layer connecting itwith the gold or the like symbols. I obtain thus the complete hour scalesecured to the support 7, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Further means also known per se and preferably resistance welding orsupersonic welding, are used for securing the symbols 5 onto a dialplate 8, while holding the support 7. The latter is then removedtogether with the protective layer carried by it, so as to provide forthe appearance to view of the finished symbols which the differentsecuring operations cannot damage by reason of the protective layer 6coating their parts subjected to such operations. The removal of thesupport 7 may be obtained through a series of wellknown means, saythrough electrolysis or through dissolution by an acid.

The upper surface of the dial plate may, of course, be entirelyfinished, that is, it may have been previously subjected to the usualfinishing operations and, in particular, to conventional electrolytictreatment.

My improved method is particularly economical since it allows obtainingdials carrying projecting symbols which are made, for instance, of gold,while resorting only to the amount of gold which is strictly requiredfor their execution. The dial plate may be obtained through anyconventional means, for instance through stamping. Lastly, the symbols,as also the dial plate, can be finished independently of one another andthe operations on the dial plate cannot damage the symbols andreversely.

Of course, my invention is by no means limited to the method describedhereinabove which may be subjected to many modifications within thescope of the accompanying claims. In particular, the mold may beexecuted through other means than those described and made of othermaterials.

The filling of the impressions for the formation of the symbols may beexecuted methods other than through an electrodeposition method, forinstance, through injection molding or die casting.

Similarly, the symbols may also be made separately through any otherknown means, for instance through stamping or punching. The protectionmay also be obtained through means other than an electrolytic deposit ofmetal, but through a varnish, or merely through a mechanically fittedelement for example caps having a soft inner surface laid over eachsymbol. Of course, the support may be secured to the symbols afterremoval of the mold and before removal of the conductive member.Furthermore, it is possible to remove only a section of the mold, so asto uncover the corresponding portions of the symbols, of which theactual body would remain fitted inside the mold, so that the latter mayabsorb the strains arising upon securing of the symbols to the dial. Inthis case, the mold would act as the protecting means. Lastly, thesecuring of the elements may be obtained on the dial and on the supportthrough any known means.

What I claim is:

1. A method for manufacturing a clockwork dial having time indicia andthe like thereon in relief comprising, providing a finished dial platehaving a major face to which indicia are to be secured in spacedpositions without further finishing operations to be performed at leaston said major face of said dial plate, providing finished indiciaseparately from said dial and having face surfaces viewable in thecompleted dial and in a finished condition without further need offinishing operations, applying on said face surfaces of said indicia inintimate contact therewith a protective layer of material capable of atleast mechanically protecting said face surfaces of said indicia duringsecuring of said indicia on said major face surface, permanentlysecuring the indicia on said dial in spaced relative positions, aftersecuring said indicia removing said layer of material to expose saidfinished face surfaces, and prior to securing said indicia on said dialplate, joining the protective layer on said indicia with said indiciadisposed in discrete spaced positions corresponding to spaced relativepositions said indicia are to be disposed in secured positions on saiddial plate major face, and in which said joined indicia are jointlypositioned on said major face for securing thereon.

2. A method for manufacturing a clockwork dial having time indicia andthe like thereon in relief comprising, providing a finished dial platehaving a major face to which indicia are to be secured in spacedpositions Without further finishing operations to be performed at leaston said major face of said dial plate, providing finished indiciaseparately from said dial and having face surfaces viewable in thecompleted dial and in a finished condition without further need offinishing operations, confining said indicia in discrete spacedpositions in a matrix prior to securing them on said dial plate Withoutconfining said face surfaces thereby protecting said indicia, applying aprotective layer on the face surfaces of said indicia in intimatecontact therewith and while confined in said matrix to at leastmechanically protect said faces of said indicia during securing of saidindicia on said major face surface, joining the protective layer of allof said indicia for holding said indicia in spaced relative positionsupon removal of said matrix, removing said matrix, positioning all ofsaid joined indicia on said major face for securing thereon, permanentlysecuring the indicia on said dial in spaced relative positions, andafter securing said indicia removing said layer of material to exposesaid finished face surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,060,361 4/13Rea 29424 1,325,325 12/19 Janke 29-155.54 1,392,007 9/21 Freund 29-1771,571,756 2/26 Colomb 29177 1,995,036 3/35 Pape 58127 2,011,517 8/35Geoffrion 58-127 2,608,529 8/52 Varian 29424 2,636,489 4/53 Brenner29-424 2,983,992 5/61 Bloomberg 29423 3,000,081 9/61 Webb 29424 FOREIGNPATENTS 566,210 8/57 Italy. 584,982 11/58 Italy.

WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

NEDWIN BERGER, Examiner.

1. A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CLOCKWORK DIAL HAVING TIME INDICIA ANDTHE LIKE THEREON IN RELIEF COMPRISING, PROVIDING A FINISHED DIAL PLATEHAVING A MAJOR FACE TO WHICH INDICIA ARE TO BE SECURED IN SPACEDPOSITIONS WITHOUT FURTHER FINISHING OPERATIONS TO BE PERFORMED AT LEASTON SAID MAJOR FACE OF SAID DIAL PLATE, PROVIDING FINISHED INDICIASEPARATELY FROM SAID DIAL AND HAVING FACE SURFACES VIEWABLE IN THECOMPLETED DIAL AND IN A FINISHED CONDITION WITHOUT FURTHER NEED FORFINISHING OPERATIONS, APPLYING ON SAID FACE SURFACES OF SAID INDICIA ININTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH A PROTECTIVE LAYER OF MATERIAL CAPABLE OF ATLEAST MECHANICALLY PROTECTING SAID FACE SURFACES OF SAID INDICIA DURINGSECURING OF SAID INDICIA ON SAID MAJOR FACE SURFACE, PERMANENTLYSECURING THE INDICIA ON SAID DIAL IN SPACED RELATIVE POSITIONS, AFTEREXPOSE SAID INDICIA REMOVING SAID LAYER OF MATERIAL TO EXPOSE SAIDFINISHED FACE SURFACES, AND PRIOR TO SECURING SAID INDICIA ON SAID DIALPLATE, JOINING THE PROTECTIVE LAYER ON SAID INDICIA WITH SAID INDICIADISPOSED IN DISCRETE SPACED POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO SPACED RELATIVEPOSITIONS SAID INDICIA ARE TO BE DISPOSED IN SECURED POSITIONS ON SAIDDIAL PLATE MAJOR FACE, AND IN WHICH SAID JOINED INDICIA ARE JOINTLYPOSITIONED ON SAID MAJOR FACE OF SECURING THEREON.